Friday, January 31, 2014

IVF and Adoption: Complementary or Competitive?

Infertile couples resort to IVF as their last option. They have exhausted every resource while trying to conceive and do not have many other options left. They put all their hopes on this last resort and can be very stressed out about the outcome of the procedure.

The word ’adoption’ is often taboo for some infertile couples. They feel that if the doctor is talking about adoption, this means he does not have any hopes for IVF success. They become irritated, feeling that that the doctor is insensitive about their feelings. They fail to look at adoption with an open frame of mind. Adoption is looked upon as a forcibly administered bitter medicine. These infertile couples think that exploring adoption means they have failed .

This mindset of downgrading one option as compared to the other is wrong. Adoption is a non-medical option to have a baby in your life while in vitro fertilization does the same thing medically. No option is better than the other. It is essential to judge them in an unbiased manner to choose the method most suitable for you. If you explore the adoption method before you go in for your next IVF cycle, you will be able to undergo the treatment with much more peace of mind because you now have a Plan B to fall back on. The reduction in stress levels may actually help the process of IVF.

Exploring adoption before in vitro fertilization has other benefits as well . You may realize that adoption suits you better than IVF. Most of the patients coming for IVF have been through many investigations and treatment procedures. They have consulted many doctors and are tired of visiting clinics. In such cases adoption can help them realize their dream of having a baby. In other cases , the couple may find that adoption is not very suitable for them. Thus they can put in all their efforts in trying for IVF success.

We need to understand that IVF and adoption are not competitive methods. IVF specialists, adoption counselors and social workers can help to brief you about adoption. If you are fortunate and get pregnant in your IVF treatment, the adoption agency would happily cancel you name from the waiting list and make the option open for other infertile couples.

IVF and adoption are mutually supportive options for infertile couples, so it is important that you explore both of them with an open mind. Please send me your medical details by filling in the form at www.drmalpani.com/malpaniform.htm so that I can guide you better !